Turn Good Intentions into Real Change: The 100 Person Challenge

   

Do you remember the last time you listened to a speech that totally and completely inspired you?  You know, the kind of presentation that ends in a standing ovation?  The audience was mesmerized, the presenter was highly praised and everyone was practically in tears?  I like to call these "experiences" rather than speeches. 

I attended one of these powerhouse presentations after deciding to make a big change a few years ago. The energy, enthusiasm and excitement permeated the room.  The entire audience was on fire!  But as wonderful as the presentation was, I knew most of what I heard.  In fact, I was an expert in most of what I heard. I could have been the one delivering the speech!

Instead of becoming drunk with inspiration, I left the presentation angry.  I was angry at myself for not taking action on what I knew to do.  I was disappointed with allowing too much time slip by without moving forward.  I was ashamed of letting the "Play it Again, Sam" routine ruin my chances of experiencing a lifelong dream. I was livid!  There wasn't going to be a standing ovation for my inaction!  It was time to make some changes. 

I left the presentation determined to take action and accept total responsibility for anything less.  That was a few years ago. Today, I can proudly say, I am a full time entrepreneur and the owner of a burgeoning life coaching practice. 

It's a common scenario:  Having all the information we need yet remaining resistant to change.  Perhaps these scenarios sound familiar: 

You have a physical with your health care provider and she tells you (again) to lose a few pounds.  On your way home, you stop by the health food store to stock up on fruits and vegetables.  After a few "good" weeks, you find yourself eating the same old way.

You read an article about going green (5th time) and you go out and purchase the latest and greatest recycling bins, chemical-free cleaners and pesticide-free soaps.  A month later, you return to throwing things in the trash and using your favorite old cleaners.

You hear about someone having a quadruple bypass (3rd person) and decide it's time that you managed stress.  You give up caffeine, begin meditating regularly, and proudly get eight hours of sleep.  A few weeks later, after a stressful day at work, you are on your laptop at 2:00 AM, drinking coffee to stay awake and have no plans to meditate any time soon.   

What keeps us stuck in good intentions?  And why is it that we entertain and even welcome redundant information?  I have some thoughts:

It’s a great distraction to hear information we already know, over and over again. Pretending like we still don't quite get it is an excellent procrastination strategy.  It’s the one big thing publishers bank on when a new diet book hits the market: procrastination disguised as "cluelessness".  Kids play this game all the time. Why can’t we?   I have a group of friends who ask me every January how to get rid of ten pounds. Every January, I give them the same answer.   Where is the disconnect?

It’s really safe to hear information we already know, over and over again.  If we hear the same thing over and over again, we can safely make the choice not to change. The stakes remain the same.  We can safely continue eating ice cream at  midnight--we’ve already been reminded why we shouldn’t.  We can keep up a pattern of skipping workouts—we already know the consequences.  But new information makes inaction much harder to justify.  Old news = Same old habits.  New news = Oh, crap!  How did we make hearing something again our comfort zone?

It feels good to hear information we already know, over and over again.  Getting intoxicated with inspiration yet having no real desire to change....well, it fascinates me.   What good is the information if we have no real desire to change?   How did we get knowledge and practice to mean the same thing? 

We believe it's really okay to hear information we already know, over and over again.  Our time on earth is limited.  Thinking that we can make desired changes when the time is right is based on false hope.  Nothing is promised to us.  All we have is this moment.  How did we get misled?

Our lives are worth more than good intentions.  It's time to break the cycle of inaction and move boldly toward the life we want. 

So here is the challenge:  I am challenging 100 people to turn their good intentions into real change.  You can accept this challenge by leaving a comment about your commitment.  My goal is to get 100 commitments by March 20, the first day of spring.  Start by leaving a comment then forward this post to one other person.  Help me spread the word!  Blog on this post or link to it.  Let's support each other to make change real! 

 

Comments

[Heart and Style Woman]

Great post. A few days ago I had the same conversation with a coach I had nearly two years ago. She couldn't believe that two years had gone by since I first contacted her. We both agreed that it was time to stop wasting time and get busy working on this dream of mine.

[Terri Holley]

Let me be first. Instead of just talking about it, I am committed to upgrading this blog so readers have a better experience while visiting and I can reach more people who really need this information. Who is next?